Well, I had a GREAT DAY! It was over 70*, and the chicks were getting soooo bored in their brooder (I think that I'll be getting another big cardboard box this weekend
) that I decided to take them out for a bit. They has such a blast! I set them up a small play pen with my welded wire for the new run- my "home-made feeder", which is half of a cardboard egg carton filled with feed
and their water and sent them on their way! I added a roof of poultry netting just in case I saw a hawk flying around.
So then I let the big girls out. They all stayed near the play pen and had frequent stare-offs and awkward moments with the chicks. I tell ya, Prince Jay-Z is such a little man! He doesn't take crap from any of those big fat mamas, LOL! He is great. Oh I wish I could keep him, if only he couldn't crow!
It was a perfect day- we had a nice neighbor stop by to see them, too. It's supposed to be like this all week- Winter might be over period. OMG. Yes, yes, YES!
Anyways, it cooled to the low 60's a little into the evening (
) so I took them back to the brooder, which I moved to the garage. I hear them peeping now from my bedroom and can see them out of one of our upstairs windows. I love that.
They are also learning to roost! I found some wood from the old coop project that I put in the brooder, and now they don't even use their plush toy accept for those naps of theirs.
I have been changing out the brooder twice a day since we started to use paper towels. Ugh, I really don't like using them at all. Gross! We are going out to get four bails of pine shavings tomorrow, for the brooder AND coop! Speaking of the coop, I am using pine straw in there and I love it- might stick to it. It reduces so much odor and always smells so fresh and clean in there, even when I desperately need to clean it! Which, by the way, I also did today.
Well for chicken shopping, I need the bedding... and I just ordered the NC/IB vaccine. Woohoo! That reminds me, I need to order Wazine, too. Oh yeahhhhh.... Chicken shopping... That reminds me... I was looking at some pictures of a friend's coop and their long feeders have little hooks that let them stand up from the ground on them, that way the chickens can't walk in them and tip them over. I'm using bricks now, but was wondering where I could get those? I'll go google it.
Back to writing a short story. How is everyone?
ETA, I got some great pictures and videos. Will upload them later tonight if I have time.
